Aeroplane.



J. S. LANG.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. I9I2.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

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J. S. LANG.

AEROPLANE.

APPucmoN man MAR. 27. |912.

Patented Feb. 15,1916

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J. S. LANG.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION man MAR.21. 19.12.

Patented Feb. 15, -196.

3 SHEETSrSHEET 3- WITNEEIEEEQ JAMES S. LANG, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AEROPLANE.

Specification `of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 15, 1916 Application ledMarch 27, 1912. Serial No. 686,712.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. LANG, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Aeroplanes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact,description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The essential object of my invention is to provide improved means forfacilitating the control and balance of the machine during flight andfor lessening also the danger of injuring the machine when landings areV made.

My invention can best be seen and understood by reference to thedrawings in which- Figure 1 shows the machine in plan. Fig. 2 shows theAsame in side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig.l is a front elevation thereof, and Figs. 5 and 6 are plans showingdetails of construction to which reference will hereinafter be made.Fig. 7 shows in perspective a further detail of construction to whichspecial reference will also bemade.

In the drawings the framework of the machine consists essentially of twosections or parts, primary and secondary. The primary or main framesupports the body of the machine includingn the horizontal liftingplanes, the balancing' planes and other associated parts as willhereinafter be explained, while the secondary frame forms the tailportion of the machine and carries the vertical and horizontal steeringplanes or rudders by which the machine is made to turn laterally eitherto-the right or left, or to rise or fall.

The primary frame consists of top and bottom horizontal beams 1 and 2,respectively. Connecting these sets of beams are vertical stanchions 3and strut 4.

The secondary frame consists of horizontal top beams 5 and bottom beams'6. Each of these sets of .beams connect, respectively, with thehorizontal top and bottom beams l and 2 of the primary frame to extendbackwardly therefrom and substantially at right angles thereto. Thehorizontal beams 5 and 6 are also connected with one another bystanchions 7 and struts 8, while the framework formed thereby isreinforced by crossed braces or wires 9.

The machine shown embodying my present invention is of the well knownbiplane type, 10 representing the uppermain lifting plane and 11 thelower mainlifting'plane, both of these planes being built upon the mainor primary frame. Coperating with the upper main plane and arrangedbelow the same at the right and left sides thereof are auxiliarybalancing planes 12 and 13, respectively. These planes are controlled ina manner to be hereinafter explained.

At the rear end of the machine are arranged the vertical guiding planesor rudders 14. and 15, respectively, which act to laterally control themachine. Each of these rudders is arranged to swing,.being pivoted atits forward edge by hinged connections 16 to the struts 8 of thesecondary frame just forward of the rear end thereof. At the extremerear end of the secondary frame are arranged horizontal planes orrudders 17 and 18, respectively, which act to control the rise and fallof the machine. Each of these rudders is pivoted to turn about ahorizontal axis, the same being secured at their forward edges to thestanchio-ns 7 at the extreme rear end of the seconda-ry frame by hingedconnections 19.

Reference will now be made to the manner in which the various planes andrudders are cont-rolled and first with reference tothe auxiliarybalancing planes 12' and 13. The disposition, arrangement and operationof these balancing planes are substantially as described in my copendingapplication, filed June 6, 1911, Serial No. 630,115. Briefly, thebalancing planes are' small planesarranged adjacent, parallel with andlbelow j lplanes are freelyy supported, the same being carried byendlessjcords 20. These cords are rectangularly arranged to run overpul' leys 21 (xed to the framework of the machine) around and betweenthe major planes and to which cords the minor planes `are secured at thecorner edges thereof. The arrangement of the cords, in other words, issuch that upon the application of draft or pull thereto in reversedirections the balancing planes will be moved by the cords in reversedirections, one approaching the plane 10 as the other is simultaneouslymoved away therefrom depending upon the direction of the pull upon thecords.

According to my present invention the stress or pull upon the cords 20for controlling the balancing planes is eifected through a brace oflevers 22. These levers are arranged just forward of the operators seat23 which is centrally located above and just forward of the rear edge ofthe bottom major lifting plane 11 and between it and the steering wheel42li arranged in front of the seat. The levers 22 are parallellyarranged in an upright position, one at the right and the other at theleft of the steering wheel. At their bottom ends each of the levers ispivoted to one of the struts 4A, at the bottom of the main frame byhinged connections 25 and in a manner whereby the levers may be turnedlaterally. The levers are connected to one another to move laterallytogether, the same being joined by a crossbar 26 pivotally securedthereto. Connecting with the upper ends of the respective levers arecords 27 which extend from the respective levers in reverse directionsto connect with the cords 20 carrying' the balancing planes with theeffect that as the levers are moved in reverse directions the balancingplanes through the connecting cords 27 and 20 will have a relativelycorresponding and simultaneous movement. The disposition and arrangementof the levers 22 are also such that they may be moved laterally inreverse directions by the arms of one sitting in the operators seat andholding the wheel. As recited above, the levers are located between theoperators seat and the wheel, one at the right and the other at the leftof the wheel. Extending inwardly from each of the respective levers isa.- hookshaped projecting member 28, forming an arm rest. In otherwords, these members 28 are so adapted that as the arms ofthe operatorare extended to grasp the wheel they will lie at about the points of theelbows in the rests so that by a sidewise motion of the arms the leversmay be laterally moved for controlling the balancing planes.l

The steeringwheel 24 is mounted upon a post 29. This post extendsthrough a block 30 .and is loosely mounted to turn therein.

' The post is held against longitudinal movement with respect to the.block by clamps 31 fixed to the post just above and below the block.The block 30 is provided with trunnions 32`extending laterally therefromand these trunnions are mounted to turn in bearings 33 secured tocross-pieces 34 which are interposed between struts 4 at the bottom ofof the machine as the part of the post projecting below the block ismoved toward the rear of the machine, or vice versa.

It is by means'of the post 29 and wheel secured to it that the ruddersare controlled.

As above explained, two rudders 14 and 15 j are provided for controllingthe lateral movement of the machine, and, also, two rudders 17 and 18for controlling the rise and fall of the machine. Such number of ruddersare employed for the following reasons, for it is apparent that themachine might be controlled by means of two rudders, one for controllingthe lateral movement of the machine and the other its rise and fall. 1fsingle rudders were used to control each of these movements of theinachine such rudders would have to be relatively large in order thatthe machine might be controlled under the variable atmospheric.

influences to which it would be necessarily subjected. The difficultywith a single large rudder,4however, for such purpose is that undernormal conditions the action of the rudder is so powerful that itbecomes unduly sensitive and if moved too far tends to unbalance themachine. To obviate this I have provided two relatively small ruddersand arranged whereby one only of these rudders may be operated tocontrol the machine under normal conditions, both rudders being broughtinto play only under abnormal conditions when a very powerful guidinginlinence is required.

The manner in which the respective rudders are controlled from the postand lwheel will now be described, reference first being made to themeans for opera-ting the rudders 14 and 15 by which the machine islaterally controlled. Fixed to the post 29 just above the block 30 inwhich the post turns and upon which it is pivotally mounted is a pulley35. Passed around this pulley is a cord 36 which frictionally engagesthe pulley in such manner that as the pulley is turned the cord willwind onto-and off of the same. The cord 36 extends back in a mannerwhereby the ends thereof may con nect respectively with the rudders 14and 15 for operating the one or the other of these rudders as the wheel'is turned in reverse directions. The cord 36 may connect with therespective rudders in any suitable manner.

According to the construction shown.

this is accomplished as follows: That portion of the cord which connectswith the rudder 14 is divided into two parts 37 and 37a in order thatthis portion of the cord may connect with the rudder 14 at differentpoints. The part 37 of the cord is extended back and around a pulley 38arranged upon the under side of one of the bottom horizontal beams 6 ofthe secondary frame at the rear endof the machine on the left sidethereof and adjacent the outer side or face of the rudder 14, and thencepasses inwardly to connect with the outer side or face of the rudder atthe point 39. The part 37a of the cord passes around a pulley 40arranged on the under side of the bottom left-hand beam 6 of thesecondary frame; thence passes upwardly and over a pulley 41 arrangedupon the top left-hand beam 5 of the secondary frame; thence is extendedbackward and around a pulley 42 arranged upon the same beam adjacent theside or face of the rudder 14, and thence passes inwardly to connectwith the outer side or face of the rudder 14 rat the point 43. Thatportion of the cord a pulley 48 arranged on the under side of the bottomright-hand beam 6 of the secondary frame; is thence extended upwardly topass over and around a pulley 49 arranged f upon the top beam 5 of thesecondary frame on the right side of the machine, and is thence extendedbackward and around a pulley 50 arranged upon the same beam adjacent theside or face of the rudder 15, and thence passes inwardly to connectwith the side or face of this rudder at the point 51. With the partsthus arranged it will be o-bserved that as the steering wheel 24 isturned in one direction -or the other either the o-ne or the other ofthe rudders 14 or 15 will be turned. Moreover as one rudder is turnedthe other -rudder will be left toassume a passive position which ofcourse would be an inoperative position during the running of themachine. Arrangement is made, however, so that as the o-ne or the otherof the rudders is turned theotli'er'rudder will also be moved to turnwith it after the first rudder, directly inliuenced, has .been moved acertain amount, and this is accomplished by connecting the ruddersthrough a loose ilexible connection 52. I prefer that this connection beso arranged that the rudder directly operated will have moved through anarc of about five degrees before the other rudder is influenced to movewith it, so that under normal conditions only one rudder need be usedfor turning the machine, both rudders being brought into operation onlyunder abnormal conditions and when exigencies arise. p

Referring to the operation of the rudders 17 and 18 which control therise and fall of the machine and which in turn are controlled by thepivotal-movement of the post 29, attention is first directed to thelinks 53 and 54, respectively, which are loosely mounted upon the post29 at points respectively above and below the block 30 upon which thepost is pivotally mounted. These links are held against movement alongthe post by means of clamps or collars 55 arranged above and below eachof the links. Connecting with the links 53 are cords 56 and 57 whichextend back to connect with the rudder 17. The arrangement of thesecords is as follows: The cord 56 extends back a'nd around a pulley 58arranged at the bottom of the secondary frame at its extreme end andupon the leftside thereof. The cord 56 after passing around this pulleyextends upwardly and connects with the side or face of the rudder 17 atthe point 59. The cord 57 is extended back and around a pulley 60arranged at the bottom extreme end of the `'secondary frame on the rightside thereof. "After/passing around this pulley the cord is" extendedupwardly to connect with the side or face of the rudder 17 at the point61. Connecting with the link 54 are cords 62 and 63. These cords connectwith the rudrder 18 in the following manner: The cord 62 passes backwardaround a pulley 64 arranged upon the bottom horizontal beam 6 vof thesecondary frame at the left side of the machine; is thence extendedupwardly around a pulley 65 arranged upon the upper horizontal beam 5 ofthe secondary frame at the left side of the machine; is thence extendedbackwardly and around a pulley 66 arranged'at the extreme top, end ofthe secondary frame at the left of `the machine, and thence extendsdownwardly to connect with the rudder 18 at the point 67. The cord 63extends from the link 54 backwardly and around a pulley 68 arranged uponthe bottom horizontal beam 6 of the secondary frame at the right sideofthe machine; is thence extended upwardly and around a pulley 69arranged upon the top horizontal beam 5 at the right side of themachine; is thence extended backwardly and around a pulley 70 arrangedat the extreme upper end of the secondary frame on the right sidethereof, and is thence extended downwardly to connect with the rudder 18at the point 71. With the parts thus arranged itfwll be seen that as thepost 29 is pivotally moved in one direction or the other either one orthe other of the rudders 17 or 18 will be turned or de- Iiected, the,rudder 17 being moved downwardly as the top end of the post 29 is movedforward, and the rudder 18 being moved upn wardly as the bottom end ofthe post 29 is moved forward. As either one or the other of the rudders17 or 18 is positively moved by the aforesaid movement of the post, theother rudder owing to the slackening of the cords connecting with itwill assume an inoperative passive position during the running of themachine. Arrangement is made, however, as in the case of the rudders 14:and 15, above described, that as one or the other of the rudders 17 or18 are positively moved the other rudder may be moved with it,supplementing its action, after the first rudder, positively operated,has been moved a certain amount. This is accomplished by connecting therudders 17 and 18 by a flexible connection 72. I prefer that bothrudders shall be drawn into a position to become operative only when oneof the rudders has been moved through an arc of about five de grees, theother rudder being then drawn into operation with it. In other words,such movement that during the normal operation of the machine but onerudder need be operated, both rudders being operated simultaneously inthe same direction only under abnormal conditions and in cases ofemergency.

Having referred to the operation and manual control of the machine,reference Will now be made to that phase of my invention which pertainsto the automatic balance or stability of the machine during Hight. Itwill be observed that the bottom main lifting plane 11 of the machine isturned upwardly at either end thereof to provide upwardly inclinedlifting surfaces 7 3. The advantages of these surfaces is that when themachine has become laterally overbalanced or displaced from its truenormal horizontal position, by reason of the inclination of the bottomplane as aforesaid an increased lifting infiuence upon the machine willbe given by the lower displaced end of the plane and a lesser liftinginuence will be given by the higher displaced end thereof, thereby tending to restore the plane and the machine to its true normal horizontalposition. :It 1s especially to be observed, however., -that theseinclined surfaces 7 3are provlded'only upon the bottom plane in orderthat they may lie or be as near as possible that horizontal plane inwhich lies the center of gravity of the machine, and this for thefollowing reasons: WVhile a maJor plane having ends inclined asaforesaid tends to maintain the plane and machine in a normal horizontalposition, yet these surfaces of the plane are apt to be struck by suddenlateral gusts of air'. If these inclined surfaces are arranged somedistance'above thecenter of leverage, tend to overturn the machine. By

providing these lifting surfaces, however, in the bottom main liftingplane which lies within or near the center of gravity of the machine,any tendency upon the part of air striking these planes to overbalancethe machine will be directed in a direction-toward the center of gravityof the machine when the horizontal component of the force will becomedissipated in laterally moving the entire machine instead of tending tooverturn the same. In other words, the danger of using these inclinedsurfaces by reason of sudden lateral gusts of air is reduced to aminilnum and the advantages thereof retained, viz; that of automaticallyrestoring the planes of the machine to their normal horizontal positionin case of displacement.

Referring now to the ground support of the machine and the meansemployed for safeguarding it against injury when alighting. Secured tothe bottom horizontal beams of the secondary frame at the forward endthereof are spring members 74. These bars are made substantiallybowshaped with a downward conveXity. The bars extend also some littledistance forward of the front of the machine. To these bars are securedwheels on which the machine may run.y Though these bars are yielding,yet owing to their relatively small size and the manner in which theyconnect with the secondary frame, they would of themselves afford butlittle support to the machine in case it should violently Contact withthe ground. The bars are, however, yieldingly reinforced and supportedin the following manner: As before described, the y horizontal beams ofthe secondary frame are extended to meet and become secured to thehorizontal beams of the primary frame. At the points where thesehorizontal beams meet at the front of the machine the pri- 'mary frameis provided with stanchions vwhich together with the horizontal beamsare bound togetherl by metal fittings. Of these fittings 76 representsthe fittings to which the'stanchions and beams are secured at the bottomof the frame and 77 those to which the stanchions and beams are secured`at the 'top of the frame. Flxedly connecting with the bottom ones 76 ofthese fittings are bent spring bars 78 which extend outwardly from thefittings to bend downwardly and connect, respectively, with the springbars 74 by hinged connections 79. AThe bars 7J: are also yieldinglysupported and reinforced by mea-ns of uprights or posts 80. These postslat the bottom ends thereof are hinged to the respective bars 7 4: byhinged connections 81. From these hinged connections the posts extendupwardly through the respective fittings 76 and 77. Below the respectivefittings 77 each post has arranged thereon a collar 82 and between thesecollars and the Iittings 77 encircling the respective posts, arearranged compression springs 83. The posts are tied together andreinforced by means of crossed braces 84. From the top ends of therespective posts there extend wires or other connections 85 which aresecured to the bottom front horizontal beam 2 of the primary frame atthe ends thereof and also at intermediate points. The operation of theseparts is as follows: When a landing is effected the contact of themachine with the ground will tend to compress and accordingly extend thespring bars 7l and 78, the bars 74 springing inwardly toward the bottomof the machine. This action is resisted, however, by the springs 83becoming compressed against the fitting 76 at the top of the primaryframe, for as the bars 711 are sprung inwardly toward the bottom of themachine the posts 8O will be moved upwardly compressing the springs 83which accordingly resist the displacement" of the bar 74. As the postsare moved upwardly a supporting draft will also be exerted through theconnections 85 upon the bottom horizontal beam 2 which forms the frontof the primary frame, and inasmuch as the entire frame of the machineconnects with this bar, the force of the impact will accordingly betaken up and distributed through the entire frame.

The action above described takes place in a modified way under normalconditions of landing or in cases when the wheels upon which the landingis made are not disrupted or displaced. The construction, however,becomes most important in cases where the .violence of impact tends todisrupt the landing wheels from the machine or so distort their positionthat the full force of the impact will come upon the bars 74 which willthen operate as skids.` In such case the fall of the machine might tendnot only to break these bars but also wrench the entire machine, but bytaking up and distributing the force of the impact as aforesaidthroughout the entire frame of the machine little damage can follow ifthe landing be properly eected, regardless of the violence of suchlanding.

Owing Vto requirement for division the landing mechanism is not claimedherein, but it is my purpose to claim the same in a separate applicationfor Letters Patent.

Having thus fullydescribed my-invention` I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. In an aeroplane, the combinationwith a main lifting plane, of auxiliary balancing planes arrangedadjacent the working face of said main plane on opposite sides of themachine, connections arranged to support said auxiliary planes and uponand by which said auxiliary planes may be moved in reverse directions, abrace of pivotedlevers 7() parallelly arranged and connecting with oneanother whereby the same may be moved in unison, and connectionsattached respectively to said levers and extending therefrom in reversedirections to connect with 75 said connections first above mentioned,whereby said auxiliary planes may be moved simultaneously in reversedirection as said levers are pivotally moved.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with the operators seat, of asteering wheel arranged in front of said seat, an operating leverlocated between said seat and said wheel, said lever being provided withmeans whereby it may be moved in reverse directions by the arm of oneseated in said seat and grasping said wheel.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination with the operators seat, of asteering wheel arranged in front of said seat, a brace of pivoted leversparallelly arranged and connecting with one another whereby the same maybe moved in unison, said levers being located between said seat and saidwheel and upon opposite sides thereof, each of said levers beingprovided with means whereby they may be moved in reverse directions bythe arms of one seated in said seat and grasping said wheel.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination with the operators seat,`of asteering wheel arranged in front of said seat, a brace of pivoted leversparallelly arranged and connecting with one another whereby the same maybe movedin unison, said levers being located between said seatI and saidwheel and upon opposite sides thereof, whereby said levers may beoperated b v the arms of one grasping the wheel, said levers being eachprovided on the inside thereof with arm rests adapted to receive thearms of the operator positioned as aforesaid.

Y 5. An aeroplane having rudders pivotally arranged in pair, meansconnecting said rudders whereby the same may be moved simultaneously inthe same direction after one of said rudders has had a predeterminedmovement, and means for controlling said'k rudders whereby the separaterudders may be moved in reverse directions or both rudders movedsimultaneously in the same direction as one of said rudders after suchrudder has had a determinate movement as aforesaid.

6. An aeroplane having a sety of vertical direction after one of saidrudders of either after such rudder has had a determinate set has had adeterminate movement, and movement.

means for controlling each of said sets of rudders whereby the separaterudders of JAMES S LANG' 5 either set may be turned in reverse direc-Witnesses:

tions or both rudders in either set turned in JoHN E. R. HAYES,

the same direction as one rudder of the set M. E. FLAHTJITY.

